Since the invention of the camera there have been numerous accessories created to help photographers improve their photographs. These accessories range from a simple cable release to complex filters and flash equipment. Many brackets and mounts have been devised to help attach accessories to cameras. This invention details a new accessory mounting system that utilizes the shoulder strap loop existing on most modern cameras.
The idea for this invention was conceived after I purchased a new digital SLR camera. The new cameras today do not have provisions for using the old-fashioned mechanical cable release. They have infrared remote controls or an electrical connector for using a remote switch. In researching methods for using a cable release on cameras that do not have the threaded receiver for the cable release I found several methods to adapt a cable release.
In one known technique suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,414 a plate is secured to the tripod screw on the bottom of the camera and the plate is bent around to the top of the camera. The cable release is mounted to the plate just above the shutter release button. Some drawbacks with this technique are that it is bulky, it monopolizes the tripod mounting screw, and it interferes with the operation of other functions of the camera.
In another known technique for adapting a cable release to a camera a shell was built around the entire camera. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,272 describes such a technique. This method also is bulky and interferes with other functions of the camera.
My invention describes an apparatus that attaches to the shoulder strap loop of a camera. The apparatus serves as a universal accessory mount to which a myriad of accessories can be mounted to the camera. One accessory would be a cable release adaptor as described above.
The apparatus could also be used to mount an external flash to the camera similarly to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,814, but without having to use such a bulky handle.
The shoulder strap loop is an ideal place to mount accessories because it is usually a strong metal loop that is an integral part of the camera body. It is very rigid and strong and sets up high on the camera where most of the accessories are used.